Facial disfigurement charity hopes every face will tell a story in nationwide workplace survey

A major survey on the experiences people in the workplace with facial disfigurements has been launched by Changing Faces, a charity supporting people with disfigurements.

At least 400,000 people in the UK have disfigurements to the face or body from a variety of causes.

The charity said years of anecdotal evidence suggested that people with disfigurements are often denied equal rights and opportunities.

A public opinion survey for Changing Faces in 2003 showed that 85% of the British public thought that people with disfigurements are likely to be discriminated against 91% considered that a facial disfigurement would be a significant obstacle to getting or keeping a customer-facing job.

Henrietta Spalding, head of professional development at Changing Faces, said: “The evidence from the survey will help us tackle the discrimination that people with disfigurement often face.

“It is vital that as many people with disfigurements as possible contact us to share their experiences of school, work and getting jobs.”